Hardware 8 - Many CPUs, Dream PCs and mobile gaming

We're back with another Hardware Podcast - so good it's spelled in capitals. Rich, Harry and Clive get together to talk about all the hot (and just power-efficient) hardware of the last fortnight. Tune in to hear what we think of Intel's Atom (clue - it's not very good, is it?) VIA's new Nano processor and news on what Intel's up to.

We kick off with a chat about Dream PCs, as our sister-mag Custom PC has published its annual Dream PC group test (the issue is in UK shops now, hint hint). We challenge the best PC builders in the UK to deliver the most innovative and exciting PC they can make, and the results are usually spectacular. This year was no exception, as you can see from the Dream PC videos. Let us know what you'd like to see from a Dream PC in the comments thread below.

We also talk about the Alienware M17x gaming laptop which we kind of like. We can't wait to see the M15x, it's little brother, and its Core i7 Mobile CPU.

This episode is CPU-tastic, with discussion of Intel's forthcoming Core i7-930 and six-core Core iSomething. We're also pretty impressed with VIA's claims about it's new Nano CPU - come on VIA, how about a working sample for review this time? :D

Harry has also found out that Windows 7 can make even nettops good. You'll have to wait until Saturday to read the review, but listen in and you can get a sneak preview. Well, not that sneak, obviously, this is a globally available, non-restricted podcast...

Send your guesses of what hardware we're describing to podcast [at] custompc.co.uk (with the subject line Hardware 8) to be in with a chance of winning a game from Good Old Games.

Thanks as always to Shure (they haven't let us down yet), and to Brad Sucks for the tune. See below for ways to get the podcast.

a PC that's sleek, minimalistic, and very quiet: i think you just described my PC :)

lol, agree with gaming laptops part: they are completely USELESS!
[rant] they are not even half as fast, for more than twice the price. it's hot, it's heavy and it's a brick! desktop PC are the only real good gaming machines. laptops will NEVER become a good gaming platform, considering the weight and heat. only when a netbook sized laptop drive a 24inch screen running the latest game at maximum frame rates, it also has to be able to upgrade graphics component easily. and as light as netbook nowadays [/rant]

i was given the impression during the podcast that i7 lynnfied have an extra memory multiplier above i5's?? does that mean it's able to do 1600Mhz at stock speed? i5 750 can do 6x/8x/10x. can the i7 lynnfield do 12x?

Atom is respectable, not that bad, able to do simple spreadsheet and view videos, enough for portable uses.

in the end, i somehow prefer the hardware podcast, not sure either because i can connect with more of it's stuff or it's less grumpy.

P
lol, agree with gaming laptops part: they are completely USELESS!
[rant] they are not even half as fast, for more than twice the price. it's hot, it's heavy and it's a brick! desktop PC are the only real good gaming machines. laptops will NEVER become a good gaming platform, considering the weight and heat. only when a netbook sized laptop drive a 24inch screen running the latest game at maximum frame rates, it also has to be able to upgrade graphics component easily. and as light as netbook nowadays [/rant]

Hmmm the fact I have been playing L4D2 and borderlands maxed out on my £900 Advent 6555 last night means I have to disagree with you.

I can game on it whereever I want to in the house or plug it into a keyboard/mouse & monitor for a psuedo desktop setup as well. To boot, it also uses considerably less power than my desktop pc as well (although given thats a overclocked i7 / GTX260 SLI setup, thats a given...).

I will agree though, spending 2k+ on a relatively underpowered Gaming laptop (which run the Nvidia GPUS) is madness, this is why I spend well under 1k and got the same experience (Quad core / HD4850m FTW!!).

i was given the impression during the podcast that i7 lynnfied have an extra memory multiplier above i5's?? does that mean it's able to do 1600Mhz at stock speed? i5 750 can do 6x/8x/10x. can the i7 lynnfield do 12x?

listening to this now i feel you failed to mention the lawsuits when discussing the A64 market share against P4 and how much of an effect that had on the fact that A64 didnt take as much as it should have

Apple iMac 27inch is "27"WS LG.Display IPS (LM270WQ1)" according to tftcentral.co.uk. and it's the only one of its kind sporting 30inch width in pixel count. that's why im ultra-excited: it's the poor-man's 30inch.

Quote:

Originally Posted by xaser04Hmmm the fact I have been playing L4D2 and borderlands maxed out on my £900 Advent 6555 last night means I have to disagree with you.

I can game on it whereever I want to in the house or plug it into a keyboard/mouse & monitor for a psuedo desktop setup as well. To boot, it also uses considerably less power than my desktop pc as well (although given thats a overclocked i7 / GTX260 SLI setup, thats a given...).

I will agree though, spending 2k+ on a relatively underpowered Gaming laptop (which run the Nvidia GPUS) is madness, this is why I spend well under 1k and got the same experience (Quad core / HD4850m FTW!!).

being laptop can your lap support the thing? is it really portable? did it burn your desk? how's that low 1440x900 resolution treating your eyes?
(i know the Asus "gaming" laptop i played at the Asus event sucked big time, it's too bright and race driver grid looks horrible without AA/AF on that low resolution screen)

there is never best of both worlds, the only way to get true portability and gaming performance is to get a desktop and a netbook. gaming laptops are a failed attempt at both.